The health sector, like many others, is experiencing a rapid technological transformation. More than 40 million people in the UK now have an account with the NHS app and over half of healthcare providers have adopted digital social care records. These resources hold very sensitive patient data and therefore must be protected against malicious actors looking to compromise it.
The Department for Health and Social Care has launched a 7-year cyber security programme which is designed to enhance cyber resilience across the NHS and social care sector in England, protecting vital services and the patients who rely upon them.
Part of a larger plan to build a stronger and more sustainable NHS, the Cyber Security Strategy for Health and Adult Social Care, is founded on five core pillars designed to minimise cyber security risk and improve response and recovery.
The pillars are as follows:
- Identify areas where a cyber incident would cause the most harm to patients due to data breaches or service downtime.
- Unify the sector to ensure that its constituents can leverage economies of scale and benefit from national cyber resources and expertise for faster incident response and minimal disruption.
- Enhance security culture to engage leaders, grow the cyber workforce, and enhance training for frontline staff.
- Embed security into the framework of emerging technology being adopted by the sector.
- Support health and social care organisations to minimise cyber security incidents.
An implementation plan setting out the proposed activity over the next few years is due to be published in the summer of 2023. A comprehensive and data-led landscape of the state of cyber security in adult social care will also be conducted and published. Enhancements will be made to NHS England’s Cyber Security Operations Centre and the Data Security and Protection Toolkit will be updated to reflect the Cyber Assessment Frameworks, empowering organisations to own their cyber risk.
At COOLSPIRiT, we understand the unique challenges that healthcare organizations face when it comes to data security and protection. That's why we're proud to have recently been awarded the "Standards Exceed" status for the Data Security and Protection Toolkit. Our team has a deep understanding of the latest threats and vulnerabilities that can affect healthcare organizations, and we have a proven track record of providing tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of the healthcare industry.
Whether you're looking to comply with the latest regulations and standards or protect yourself against the latest cyber threats, COOLSPIRiT has the expertise and solutions you need to keep your organisation's data safe and secure.
To find out more, contact our expert team today at hello@coolspirit.co.uk or call 01246 454222.
